An aggravated assault charge against a 34-year-old Dresden man accused of brutally attacking a McKenzie woman was dismissed Monday, September 15, in Carroll County Circuit Court.

    The aggravated assault charge against Shawn Lee Clark who resides on Evergreen Street in Dresden, was dismissed with prejudice when the alleged victim, Jessica Cozart Moore, 25, of McKenzie, failed to appear for the trial.

    Clark’s attorney, Steven L. West, informed the Enterprise the woman had unrelated warrants out for her arrest.”

    According to Investigator Becky Keith of the Carroll County Sheriff ’s Department, on November 11, 2007, Moore told authorities she accepted a ride home with Clark from a Weakley County establishment, and Clark stopped off at Clear Lake on Clear Lake Road near McKenzie, where he assaulted her in his vehicle. Moore alleged, at some point during the attack, she escaped and jumped into the lake. Moore said when her aggressor drove away from the scene she went to a nearby house for help. The resident notified authorities and an ambulance transported the victim to McKenzie Regional Hospital, where she was treated for her injuries and released.

    Later that same day, Clark was taken into custody on the assault charge and transported to Carroll County Jail, where he made $10,000 bond and was released from custody.

(Read the rest of this story in the September 17th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

 

  

  During the Monday, Sept. 15 meeting of the Weakley County Commission, members voted to authorize the sale of capital outlay notes in order to fund the construction of a new WCMES building. The commission also authorized WCMES to sell existing properties no longer needed because of the acquisition of a centralized location and new facilities to house personnel and equipment. Commissioners also considered several budget amendments for various departments of Weakley County government, and made numerous committee appointments.

 

WCMES Bond Issue

 

  In order to fund construction of the new Weakley County Municipal Electric System (WCMES) building, commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the issuance of interest bearing general obligation capital outlay notes in one or more series in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $4,000,000.

  The resolution stipulates the notes in each series must total $2,000,000 or less, and provide for the payment of the notes.

  These funds will be used to finance certain public works projects, consisting of the construction and equipping of a building for use by WCMES, the acquisition of all other property real and personal appurtenant thereto and connected with such work, and to pay all legal, fiscal, administrative, and engineering costs incident to completing the project.

  The centrally located building now under construction on Highway 22 between Dresden and Martin, which will replace the main office and scattered garages and shops in these two cities is projected to be completed by July 2009.

  Commissioner Mike Medling asked if the WCMES building in Greenfield would be left intact, or if these crews would also be centrally located inside the new facility.

  Commissioner James Westbrook responded by saying the fate of the Greenfield building has not been discussed in committee and he is uncertain. When WCMES director Faron Collins was asked about the matter Tuesday, he said it has not yet been decided.

  Commissioner Westbrook said the main WCMES building in Martin is “60 years old. It’s functionally, if not structurally, obsolete. “We are proposing to do something we haven’t done since the system was bought. We are going to have to borrow a little money.

  Commissioner Westbrook stated no tax dollars are involved in the project, and the loan would be repaid from profits. However, because WCMES is an entity of Weakley County government, the county commission must approve any loans. He added that much of the money needed for the project costing roughly $7 million would come out of WCMES’s savings account, which has been accumulating for several years for just such a purpose.

  The resolution was approved by a vote of 17-1, with Commissioner Medling casting the only dissenting vote.

 

(Read the rest of this story in the September 17th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

   

    During the regular monthly meeting of the Weakley County Board of Highway Commission and Public Works Committee, which met jointly Thursday, Sept. 11 at the Highway Department, discussion centered on recent Highway Department equipment purchases and how this would lower the cost and increase the efficiency of maintaining county roads.

    As Highway Commission Chairman Garry Mansfield called the meeting to order, he asked Highway Supervisor Kermit Hopper gave the board an update on items falling under old business. Hopper began by discussing the Perry Road Bridge project. “The contract for our state aid bridge has not yet come in from the state,” Hopper said. “We’ve done our part. We are just waiting on them. I think, statewide it’s a problem to get the six signatures needed for the contract.” Hopper explained that the old bridge, which had been damaged by drifting debris, was too expensive to repair, and has been closed until it can be replaced. He added that the new structure would be a “clear standing bridge” to prevent its pylons from being damaged during flooding. Hopper stated that other bridges that have been closed in the past until they could be repaired are located on Patterson Road and Thompson Creek Road.

    Under new business, Hopper stated that his department completed most of the tar and chip patching that it can afford to do. He also mentioned bids have been awarded for the paving equipment, and the trailer used to haul assorted equipment used in road maintenance.

    “The paver should be here in November, which is late in the season, but the type of material we’ll be putting down is pretty forgiving (as far as the weather is concerned). As long as it’s not freezing, we can pretty well go ahead and (apply the road surfacing). We’ll know more about that once we get started, but we’ll be proceeding with that as soon as we get our paver.”

    Hopper added that the roller would be delivered in October.

    The trailer, which is made by Empire, has a 50-ton hauling capacity, and a hydraulic tailgate and ramps to provide a long, low-angled slope. This will allow crews to haul any piece of Highway Department equipment it owns from one location to another. “We have three rock machines and a paver that have to have a special loading system like that or something similar,” Hopper said. He added that a winch is being installed on the front of the trailer, so it can be used to pull inoperable equipment onto the trailer bed and haul it back to the shop, rather than paying a $200-$400 wrecker bill.

 

(Read the rest of this story in the September 17th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)